Ranching and FarmingRanching and Farming

Chapter 18Chapter 18

Cattle First Came to Texas With the Cattle First Came to Texas With the Spanish in the Spanish in the 1500’s1500’s

The Spanish Built Ranches The Spanish Built Ranches in South Texasin South Texas

Texas is Ideal Cattle CountryTexas is Ideal Cattle Country

ClimateClimate Water (Rivers)Water (Rivers) Nutritious GrassNutritious Grass

Some Cattle Escaped & Some Cattle Escaped & Quickly Multiplied …Quickly Multiplied …

Longhorn CattleLonghorn Cattle Introduced by the Introduced by the

SpanishSpanish Tall Rangy AnimalsTall Rangy Animals Some w/ 6 ft. HornsSome w/ 6 ft. Horns Perfect Survival in Perfect Survival in

the South Texas the South Texas Desert …Desert …

Spanish Language InfluenceSpanish Language Influence

Vaqueros/(cowboys)Vaqueros/(cowboys)CorralesCorralesRancheros/(ranchers)Rancheros/(ranchers)RanchosRanchosLariatLariatChaparajasChaparajas

(“Chaps”)(“Chaps”)

Eventually, Anglo-American Eventually, Anglo-American Ranchers Moved Into TexasRanchers Moved Into Texas

Before the Civil WarBefore the Civil WarThe Ranching Industry Grew in the The Ranching Industry Grew in the Gulf Coast, the Piney Woods, and Gulf Coast, the Piney Woods, and

the Red River Regionsthe Red River Regions

The King RanchThe King Ranch

Richard KingRichard King Early RancherEarly Rancher New YorkerNew Yorker Friend Mifflin KennedyFriend Mifflin Kennedy 18531853 Bought a Spanish Land Bought a Spanish Land

Grant – Grant – Santa GertrudisSanta Gertrudis 15, 500 Acres That Later 15, 500 Acres That Later

Swelled to a Million Swelled to a Million AcresAcres

Challenges to Early RanchersChallenges to Early Ranchers

TheftTheft DroughtDrought Lack of MarketsLack of Markets

Cattle SlaughterCattle Slaughter

Hides (Skin = Hides (Skin = leather)leather)

Meat & Tallow/FatMeat & Tallow/Fat

In Search of Better In Search of Better Markets,Markets,

Cattle Were Cattle Were InitiallyInitially Driven to Driven to Louisiana, Ohio, and CaliforniaLouisiana, Ohio, and California

Markets Open Up Markets Open Up Post Civil WarPost Civil War

Wild Herds Grew …Wild Herds Grew … People in the Northeast People in the Northeast

Paid Up to $40 a HeadPaid Up to $40 a Head Railroad ExpansionRailroad Expansion Economical $ Trail Economical $ Trail

Drives – Few Cowboys, Drives – Few Cowboys, Many CowsMany Cows

On Drives, Cattle Fed On Drives, Cattle Fed on Spring Grasseson Spring Grasses

Post Civil War Post Civil War stockyards included stockyards included St. St. Louis & ChicagoLouis & Chicago

The JA RanchThe JA Ranch

Charles GoodnightCharles Goodnight John Adair – IrishJohn Adair – Irish Palo Duro CanyonPalo Duro Canyon 1 Million Acres1 Million Acres 100,000 Cattle100,000 Cattle Best Beef Cows in Best Beef Cows in

the U.S.the U.S. Goodnight Buffalo Goodnight Buffalo

HerdHerd

Shoe Bar RanchShoe Bar Ranch

Thomas BugbeeThomas Bugbee 18761876 450,000 Acres450,000 Acres

XIT RANCHXIT RANCH

Financed in Part By Financed in Part By British InvestorsBritish Investors

The Building of the The Building of the Texas State Capitol Texas State Capitol Was Financed By Was Financed By the Britishthe British

Horses Were Valuable AnimalsHorses Were Valuable Animals

““Mustangers”Mustangers” Wild Spanish Wild Spanish

Mustangs or Mustangs or MestenosMestenos

Imoportant Part of Imoportant Part of the Texas Livestock the Texas Livestock Industry in West Industry in West TexasTexas

Sheep RaisingSheep Raising

Mainly in South TexasMainly in South Texas Heavier Eastern Sheep Heavier Eastern Sheep

Were Bred With Lighter Were Bred With Lighter Mexican Sheep = Mexican Sheep = Doubled Weight & Doubled Weight & Tripled WoolTripled Wool

Mexican Shepherds or Mexican Shepherds or PastoresPastores

Shearers or Shearers or TasinquesTasinques Drovers Drovers drove the drove the

sheep to marketsheep to market

George Wilkins KendallGeorge Wilkins Kendall 5000 Acre Ranch Near 5000 Acre Ranch Near

Boerne, TXBoerne, TX Problems With Disease, Problems With Disease,

Drought, and NativesDrought, and Natives Encouraged People to Encouraged People to

Come to Texas to Raise Come to Texas to Raise SheepSheep

Cattle Ranchers & Cattle Ranchers & Farmers ComplainedFarmers Complained

Sheep Trampled Crops Sheep Trampled Crops and Cropped Range and Cropped Range Grass Too ShortGrass Too Short

Cattle TrailsCattle Trails Sedalia/Shawnee TrailSedalia/Shawnee Trail Chisholm Trail – the Chisholm Trail – the

most popularmost popular Great Western TrailGreat Western Trail Matamoros TrailMatamoros Trail Goodnight-Loving Trail Goodnight-Loving Trail

(to Colorado) (not (to Colorado) (not pictured)pictured)

Trail Map on textbookTrail Map on textbook p. 415p. 415 Missouri was avoided Missouri was avoided (farmers feared (farmers feared Texas Texas

FeverFever) …) …

Life Along the TrailsLife Along the Trails

Day Began at DawnDay Began at Dawn Cowhands Cowhands

Surrounded the Surrounded the HerdHerd

““Chuck Wagon” Chuck Wagon” Noon MealNoon Meal

10-12 Miles a Day10-12 Miles a Day Up to 3,000 CattleUp to 3,000 Cattle Night Watch – Night Watch –

“Riding Herd”“Riding Herd”

People on the TrailPeople on the Trail

8-12 Cowhands8-12 Cowhands Trail BossTrail Boss CookCook Horse Wrangler Horse Wrangler

(Each Cowhand Had (Each Cowhand Had Several Horses)Several Horses)

Trail Driving Ended Trail Driving Ended Shortly After 1885Shortly After 1885

Supply Was High, Demand and Supply Was High, Demand and Prices FellPrices Fell

The Decline of the Cattle The Decline of the Cattle DrivesDrives

Barbed WireBarbed Wire QuarantineQuarantine Rise of Railroads, Rise of Railroads,

Eliminating the Need Eliminating the Need For Long DrivesFor Long Drives

Barbed WireBarbed Wire 1873 – Several 1873 – Several

InventorsInventors ““Pricked” Only Pricked” Only Cheaply MadeCheaply Made Easy InstallationEasy Installation J.F. GliddenJ.F. Glidden Fenced Off the PlainsFenced Off the Plains ““Fence-cutting Wars”Fence-cutting Wars” A A Felony …Felony … Ranges Were Fenced Ranges Were Fenced

By Mid-1880’s; sparked By Mid-1880’s; sparked declinedecline of DRIVES of DRIVES (difficult …)(difficult …)

Windmills Pumped Water From Windmills Pumped Water From Wells; Fenced Cattle Could Now Wells; Fenced Cattle Could Now

Find WaterFind Water

The Ranching Industry The Ranching Industry Declined in the Late 1880’sDeclined in the Late 1880’s

Too Many Cattle, Overgrazing, Too Many Cattle, Overgrazing, Prices Fell, Ranchers Were Prices Fell, Ranchers Were

BankruptBankrupt

Science Later Helped RanchingScience Later Helped Ranching

““Management”/ Management”/ SelectiveSelective

BreedingBreeding AngusAngus ShorthornShorthorn BrahmanBrahman … … Decline of the Decline of the

wild wild LonghornLonghorn

Farming in Texas After Farming in Texas After the Civil Warthe Civil War

FarmersFarmers Helped Texas Grow Into Helped Texas Grow Into A State Dotted With Small Towns A State Dotted With Small Towns

by the Late 1800’s …by the Late 1800’s …

After the Civil War, Many After the Civil War, Many FarmersFarmers Came to Texas Came to Texas

Most Most African-AmericansAfrican-Americans Became Became FarmersFarmers After the Civil War After the Civil War

Farming on the RiseFarming on the Rise

Post Civil War – Post Civil War – Settlers Poured Into Settlers Poured Into TXTX

Vast, Cheap LandVast, Cheap Land New Techniques:New Techniques:

- Windmills- Windmills

-“Dry Farming”-“Dry Farming”

Dry FarmingDry Farming

In West Texas & In West Texas & PanhandlePanhandle

Plowing Left Plowing Left Loose Loose SoilSoil on on TopTop of the of the Ground …Ground …

Loose Soil Kept Loose Soil Kept Water in the Ground Water in the Ground LongerLonger – – SlowedSlowed Evaporation …Evaporation …

RailroadsRailroads

Encouraged Settlement Encouraged Settlement Along RoutesAlong Routes

Towns Like Towns Like AbileneAbilene, , Big Big SpringSpring, , AmarilloAmarillo, , ChildressChildress & & Fort WorthFort Worth Grew Along Rail LinesGrew Along Rail Lines

People Came; Towns People Came; Towns GrewGrew

Schools, Churches, Schools, Churches, Roads, & Businesses Roads, & Businesses Followed …Followed …

ImportantImportant Farming Towns Farming Towns

AbileneAbilene developed along the developed along the Texas and Texas and Pacific RailroadPacific Railroad line line

AmarilloAmarillo developed along the developed along the Fort Worth Fort Worth and Denver Railroadand Denver Railroad line line

““King” CottonKing” Cotton

Most Important Crop Most Important Crop in Texasin Texas

Had Spread Rapidly Had Spread Rapidly All Over the StateAll Over the State

Railroads Were Railroads Were Important in Cotton Important in Cotton Farming Farming

Better Access to Better Access to Markets Meant Markets Meant Higher ProfitsHigher Profits

Other Important CropsOther Important Crops

Honey - #1 in the Honey - #1 in the Nation …Nation …

SugarcaneSugarcane RiceRice Wheat Wheat Corn Corn OatsOats

Proceso MartinezProceso Martinez

Introduced the Following to Farmers in the Introduced the Following to Farmers in the Rio Grande Valley:Rio Grande Valley:

CottonCottonThe Modern PlowThe Modern PlowThe Corn PlanterThe Corn Planter

(They Already Had Corn …)(They Already Had Corn …)

Farming HardshipsFarming Hardships

Farmers Unfamiliar Farmers Unfamiliar With the LandWith the Land

GrasshoppersGrasshoppers DroughtDrought Sometimes Hard to Sometimes Hard to

Make a Profit – Make a Profit – a a Surplus Surplus (Excess/Extra (Excess/Extra Crops) Meant Lower Crops) Meant Lower PricesPrices

The The Tenant SystemTenant System of Farming of Farming Replaced SlaveryReplaced Slavery

Smaller Farms Smaller Farms Replaced Vast Replaced Vast PlantationsPlantations

Some Farmers Some Farmers “Rented” Smaller “Rented” Smaller Farms = Farms = Tenant Tenant FarmersFarmers

As a Payment For the As a Payment For the Use of the Land, the Use of the Land, the Landowner Received Landowner Received Crops or Cash From Crops or Cash From Tenant FarmersTenant Farmers

Farmers Who Did Farmers Who Did NotNot Supply Their Own Tools Supply Their Own Tools

Were Called Were Called SharecroppersSharecroppers

Tenant SystemTenant System

A “Barter” System Where Labor A “Barter” System Where Labor Was Swapped For a Commodity Was Swapped For a Commodity in a Time of Little $ Circulationin a Time of Little $ Circulation

Tenant Labor, Tenant FarmersTenant Labor, Tenant Farmers PoorPoor Farmers Farmers Children and TeenagersChildren and Teenagers Former SlavesFormer Slaves DifficultDifficult Life Life HardHard Labor Labor DifficultiesDifficulties: Drought, : Drought,

Panics, Panics, Overproduction, Pests, Overproduction, Pests, DebtDebt

1/3 of Texas Labor in 1/3 of Texas Labor in 18701870